Review: The 2023 Nissan Murano Is Just Good Enough

Because the introduction of the third era of the Nissan Murano in 2015, it’s modified little or no. Again then, we praised it for its capability to supply a lot for thus little. The inside seems extra luxurious than some rivals and the outside styling does a superb job of serving to the Murano stand out from the group. Or, at the least it did again then. Nissan noticed gross sales of the Murano drop over 34 % final yr in comparison with 2021. 

How does the largely unchanged Murano fare in opposition to 2023 rivals and is it worthy of your consideration? To seek out out, we took one with lower than 2,500 miles (~4,000 km) on the clock and almost doubled its mileage going from Little Rock, Arkansas to Amelia Island off the coast of Florida. Right here’s what we discovered concerning the Nissan Murano. 

A Face For Murano Lovers

In contrast instantly with crossovers from 2015, the Murano is sort of the zig the place others have been zagging. As we speak, it’s nonetheless bought a handful of distinctive prospers that hold it feeling fashionable. The V-Movement entrance finish, boomerang lights, and floating roof give this SUV an id all its personal. Whereas not very far afield from its 2015 counterpart, the 2023 mannequin does have some exterior upgrades such because the daytime working lights which are actually LEDs. 

The entrance fascia is completely different too with bigger plastic cutouts for the fog lights and a division of the body-colored panels on the bumper itself. Honeycomb-shaped plastic surfaces add a little bit of texture to what was a beforehand smoother face. The rear finish is much more comparable from yr to yr with the one noticeable replace being improved tail lights. One must be fairly the Murano fanatic to inform the distinction between mannequin years. 

Is Something In The Cabin New?

The extra issues change the extra they keep the identical and the Murano options an inside that’s similar to the one from 2015. Whereas most manufacturers would’ve refreshed a automobile someday over the course of its eight-year historical past, Nissan has seen to vary little or no aesthetically within the cabin. On the identical time, that’s not a foul factor fully. The inside isn’t actually missing within the space most Murano homeowners seemingly care about, consolation. 

I don’t keep in mind the final SUV I sat in with seats as cushiony or tender as those within the Murano. They’re thick, they’re large, they usually’re adjustable sufficient that at no level over the course of some 2,000 miles did I’ve a unfavorable considered them. That very same doughy fake leather-based upholstery is everywhere in the cabin from the armrests to the sprint pad and onto the door playing cards too. 

Extra: What Do You Need To Know About The 2023 Nissan Murano?

On the opposite finish of the spectrum, you’ll discover the switchgear which is tough plastic from the window switches to the steering wheel controls to the middle management stack. It doesn’t really feel nice underneath one’s finger and doesn’t look nice to at least one’s eye. Maybe although, viewing these items via the lens of a journalist that exams automobiles all yr isn’t the way in which to go. 

Contemplate the typical Murano purchaser a bit extra and this inside makes extra sense. The buttons, knobs, and switches don’t really feel nice however they work completely. There’s a really clear indication that what you tried to do labored and virtually each piece of switchgear is laid out merely and symmetrically with the remainder of the interface. That appears like a superb instance of unapologetically aiming squarely at a demographic. 

The infotainment system is equally a combined bag. It consists of an 8-inch touchscreen with each Android and Apple compatibility. The touchscreen itself works properly and responds shortly however we’d prefer to see the consumer interface up to date because it seems outdated and isn’t very intuitive to make use of. That stated, it linked flawlessly to bluetooth all through the journey and supplied good clear sound high quality too. 

The place many bemoan the Murano is within the cargo division. It’s true that some rivals function three rows or significantly extra storage within the trunk. Our tester didn’t actually have a tow hitch for us so as to add a motorcycle rack or different cargo-carrying gadget. However, we managed to, for a short while, match 4 folks inside with all of their baggage and two highway bikes. That’s not unhealthy for a automobile with a claimed 32.1 cubic toes of capability. 

Driving A Couch 

Piloting the Murano virtually appears like carrying two pairs of socks and never within the “I don’t have sufficient house in right here” form of manner. It’s heat and it’s snug, however on the identical time, your connection to the skin world is damped. The great aspect of that’s that it’s very easy even on less-than-ideal highway situations.

It feels steady and whereas some may complain a few lack of visibility as a result of manner the C-Pillar is formed, we’d simply say that blind spots are all however gone when one makes use of their mirrors appropriately. Conversely, suggestions via the steering wheel and pedals isn’t anyplace close to as sharp as a few of us may like however once more, the Murano isn’t attempting to be a pointy pseudo-sports automobile in an SUV package deal.

The insulation isn’t all unhealthy both. It advantages the Murano by retaining highway, tire, and engine noise principally outdoors of the cabin. The one fly in that ointment is the all-too-well-known drone from the three.5-liter V6 up entrance while you mash the go pedal. The motor itself is definitely fairly good, growing a factory-rated 260 hp (193 kW) and 240 lb-ft (325 Nm) of torque however the Murano falters a bit on account of its use of a repeatedly variable transmission that causes important engine drone when accelerating laborious. 

Learn: The Nissan Fairlady X Is The Unholy Union Of A New Z And A Murano

It’s price noting too that since this powertrain is so outdated, the Murano isn’t actually updated with rivals when it comes to gas economic system requirements. In line with the EPA, it’ll get at greatest 20 mpg within the metropolis and 28 on the freeway. We got here away with a median of 26.5 mpg over a complete of two,074 miles (3,337 km). That’s not unhealthy in comparison with different V6-equipped opponents however those who use four-cylinder engines or hybrid drivetrains fare higher. 

The Murano has seen important updates to security tech through the years although. Our mid-tier SV trim got here normal with adaptive cruise management, which, in case you let it work, is a godsend on an extended highway journey in a automobile that appears to be continuously attempting to lull you into sleep. Each Murano now comes with blind-spot warning, ahead collision mitigation, lane-departure mitigation, and rear parking sensors. These are nice options to have and it’s good to see that Nissan has prioritized them. 

How The Murano Measures Up

In that unique 2015 assessment, we stated that the Murano doesn’t faux to do something it may well’t. That’s as true as we speak because it’s ever been. For now, adequate appears to be working for Nissan as gross sales have been really up yr over yr in the course of the fourth quarter of 2022. They’re up once more after the primary quarter of 2023. After all, different rivals have found out that very same sport plan to a level.

The Hyundai Palisade, Kia Telluride, and Honda Passport all obtain comparable objectives albeit with a couple of extra aspirations of off-road functionality. The Murano doesn’t must be that however hopefully, each time the subsequent era arrives, it may well do one thing that this one by no means did: lead the pack. Pushing the bar greater than “simply adequate” is one thing that advantages all of us. 

Pictures Stephen Rivers for Carscoops